Tips for People with Chronic Kidney Disease - Potassium (Fact Sheet)

What Is Potassium?

Potassium is a mineral that helps your nerves and muscles work the right way.

Why Is Potassium Important for People with CKD?

In some people with CKD, the kidneys may not remove extra potassium from the blood. Some medicines also can raise your potassium level. Your food choices can help you lower your potassium level.

How Do I Know My Potassium Is High?

People often do not feel any different when their potassium is high. Your health care provider will check the level of potassium in your blood and the medicines you take. The level of potassium in your blood should be between 3.5 and 5.0. (Normal range may vary.)

How Do I Lower Potassium in My Diet?

Eat smaller portions of foods high in protein at meals and for snacks: meat, poultry, fish, beans, dairy, and nuts.

Use spices and herbs in cooking and at the table. Salt substitutes often contain potassium and should not be used.

Potassium chloride can be used in place of salt in some packaged foods, like canned soups and tomato products. Limit foods with potassium chloride on the ingredient list.

Drain canned fruits and vegetables before eating.

If you have diabetes, choose apple, grape, or cranberry juice when your blood sugar goes down.

Choose fruits and vegetables that are lower in potassium. Have very small portions of foods that are higher in potassium, like one slice of tomato on a sandwich, a few slices of banana on cereal, or half of an orange.

Eat these foods:

White rice

White bread and pasta

Cooked rice and wheat cereals

Rice milk (not enriched)

Instead of these foods:

Brown and wild rice

Whole wheat bread and pasta

Bran cereals

Cow's milk

Fruits and Vegetables Lower in Potassium (200 mg or less*)

Fruits:

Apples/apple juice/applesauce

Apricots (canned)/apricot nectar

Berries

Cranberry juice

Fruit cocktail

Grapes/grape juice

Grapefruit/grapefruit juice

Honeydew melon

Lemons and limes

Mangoes

Papayas

Pears

Peaches

Plums

Pineapple

Rhubarb

Tangerines

Watermelon

Vegetables:

Alfalfa sprouts

Bell peppers

Bamboo shoots (canned)

Broccoli (fresh)

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower

Celery and onions (raw)

Corn

Cucumber

Eggplant

Green beans

Kale

Lettuce

Mushrooms (fresh)

Okra

Summer squash (cooked)

Fruits and Vegetables Higher in Potassium (More than 200 mg*)

Fruits:

Apricots (fresh)

Bananas

Cantaloupe

Dates

Nectarines

Kiwi

Prunes/prune juice

Oranges/orange juice

Raisins

Vegetables:

Acorn and butternut squash

Avocado

Baked beans

Beet and other greens

Broccoli (cooked)

Brussels sprouts (cooked)

Chard

Chile peppers

Mushrooms (cooked)

Potatoes

Pumpkin

Spinach (cooked)

Split peas, lentils, beans

Sweet potatoes, yams

Vegetable juice

Tomatoes/tomato juice/tomato sauce

*Potassium level is based on one serving. One serving of fruit is one small piece; ½ cup fresh, canned, or cooked fruit; ¼ cup dried fruit; or ½ cup juice. One serving of vegetables is ½ cup fresh or cooked vegetables, 1 cup raw leafy vegetables, or ½ cup juice.